Forbidden Destiny
by Monkeygurlevr
Summary: When Hermione in her sixth year finds herself pregnant, her parents force her and Ron’s love apart. Now, 3 years later, Hermione returns to her home to face the one man of her life: Ron Weasley. PG-13 for some language and some sexual stuff. HgRw
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own NONE OF these characters except for the one's I made up. So ignore me, and give your thanks to JK Rowling!!! OK?

Forbidden Destiny  
  
Chapter 1  
  
The girl glared angrily at the plastic. Her hands quivered with fear, her brain spinning with thoughts.

"It can't be." She thought angrily, "It just can't."

But it stood out, like black crayon on white paper. Her future stood out, all shown by this little piece of plastic. Her shaking hands grew limp. Her heart seemed to be pounding in her head.

"No," she whispered, so quiet that she was surprised she could hear herself. "No. NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"

With much piled anger, she threw the plastic stick across the room. Her body raged with great loathing towards it. Reaching into her drawer, she pulled out all her bodily supplies that she could grab before giving them the same fate as the plastic stick.

"NO, NO, NO!!!!" she screamed, her lungs tearing apart with resentment. "NO, NO, NO!!!!"

"Hermione?" The girl stopped, her heart still pumping hate into her veins. "Hermione, are you all right?" Hermione sighed. She hated lying, but it was the only thing to do. She knew her parents would freak when they found out. If they found out.

"No Mom," she responded shrilly before letting it down a notch. "I......uh........the toilet......it overflowed again. That's all." "Oh."

The woman behind the door seemed lost for words. "Well, do remember to put the wet towels in the hamper."

"Yes Mom." Hermione turned around and started cleaning up the result of her fustration.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

"Hermione Rosanna Granger, what the hell is this?"

Hermione had to struggle to gulp down her carrots and beans.

"Well Dad, it's a......well you know a........" Hermione knew without delay that her approach to the problem wasn't working. She had to try something different.

"I know what this is." Mr. Granger shouted through gritted teeth. "But I think I should change my question around a little. Hermione, are you pregnant?"

Hermione felt what she had eaten of her supper returning to her mouth. Hermione twiddled her thumbs uncomfortably in her lab. She had to tell them. She could not escape. "Mom, Dad," she whispered, eying her parents nervously. "Yes. I am pregnant."

Mrs. Granger gasped. What was left of Mr. Granger's pale face, turned a shade whiter.

Mrs. Granger broke down into tears. "You can't be." She moaned wildly, her hands clutching Hermione's tightly, as if fearing they would fall off. "Tell me it isn't so."

"I can't Mom." Hermione mumbled, her eyes plastered onto her cornbread.

Mrs. Granger moaned with despair. Mr. Granger coughed. His face was still a deadly white, which scared Hermione for she had never seen him this white before.

"I will settle this." He said frigidly, "We will go to the family doctor, Dr. Nill tomorrow and if what she says is true, well.......we will figure that out."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hermione stared at the doctor, her parents mimicking her.

"Yes," Doctor Nill said slowly, "your daughter is indeed pregnant."

Her mother screamed before collapsing onto the floor.

"Mom!" Hermione hurried to her mother, but Mr. Granger pushed her away.

"Leave her be!" he snapped in a tone that meant "You are already in major trouble. We don't need your pregnant paws on us thank you very much."

Tears lifted in Hermione's eyes as she watched the doctor and her father struggle to bring her mother back.

"Mom, are you OK?" Hermione whispered when her eyes conclusively peeked out behind her closed eyelids.

"Leave her alone, can't you see she is ill?" Mr. Granger yelled.

"No, Richard, please. I am fine." Mrs. Granger begged of her husband.

Hermione walked to the window. How pleasantly happy everyone on the streets below looked to her. Not worrying or concerning themselves with problems such as she.

"Come, we are leaving!" her father's voice treaded through her thoughts. Miserably, Hermione followed. It wasn't until they were all back in the car that vocal communication continued.

"A disgrace of a daughter, what the hell are we going to do?" her father shouted to no one in particular.

"Richard, sweetie –"Mrs. Granger cried soothingly.

"Not now Bianca. We need to think of what to do with our daughter."

Mrs. Granger fell silent for a minute. "Who," she squeaked. "Who is the father?"

"Yes!" Mr. Granger roared, "I would like to know that too! Who is my grandchild's father?"

"Um....." Hermione whispered, not knowing how to say it.

"Well?!" her father yelped.

"You don't know him." Hermione said quietly. "He is a boy who goes to my school. His name is Ron Weasley."

"Your school? You mean that silly magic trick school?"

Hermione felt a wave of heated anger sweep through her. "It's not a magic trick school Daddy," she said, "It's a school for wizards and witches. Like me."

Her father pushed the brakes. "Well I will tell you one thing," he snarled, "I will not have you go back to that school. You will finish your years in a sensible place. All of the same sex I think. Sound good to you dear?"

"Oh yes, I quite agree."

"But-"

"No buts. It is settled. First thing when we return home, I will be finding a school, somewhere far, far away. So far that you won't ever see that boy again!" Mr. Granger laughed evilly as he turned a corner.

Hermione was speechless. "Please Daddy don't do thi-"

"SHUT UP!!" Mr. Granger bellowed. Hermione stared glumly out the window. Knowing her parents, she knew they would rid her of her magical stuff as soon as they entered the house.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

It was worse than she had feared. When she had gotten home, Ron's tiny owl, Pig, was waiting for her with a letter. Her father's temper had boiled into the 100 degree zone by this point, as he had been quick to grab the bird and throw it out the window. Crrokshanks, her cat had soon followed.

Hermione stood there, her tears flowing rivers down her face as her parents trashed her life, her way of living. "Daddy, please don't." Hermione cried out pleadingly when he reached her wand.

He looked at his only daughter. "I'm sorry Herms," he said, dividing the wand into pieces. "But this is the way it has to be."

An hour later, Hermione was able to return to her room. It had been stripped bare of everything that had some magical purpose. Hermione refused to come to supper. Her heart was too sick to eat anything. So while her parents ate silently, Hermione stayed upstairs in her newly furnished bedroom.

Hermione pulled Ron's picture out of it's hiding place. "Oh Ron," she sobbed, her heart finally cracking in two, "This is the end. You are the only boy and male I will ever love. Goodbye Ron, goodbye."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

"It is settled." Mr. Granger frowned at the tightness in his daughter's sweater. "You will be arriving at Greenoaks at 6:00 pm. The headmistress will take you to your room and bring you to the dining chamber to meet your classmates. Understand now?"

"Yes father." Hermione said in a very depressed mood and voice.

"And don't forget to write and tell how my grandson or daughter is doing alright?" Mrs. Granger asked of Hermione softly. "We will try to take the first train there when you start having contractions."

Hermione swore she heard her dad snort, but decided to ignore it. "Alright." She said.

Mrs. Granger smiled at her daughter before hugging her one last time. "Now go!" she yelled as the train bawled one last time.

"Bye!" Hermione shouted, "Bye Mom! Bye Dad!" Hermione climbed aboard and was able to find a compartment that no one occupied.

It had been two days since the Hogwarts Express returned to Hogwarts. Two days since her sixth year mates had started school. Including Ron.

Hermione felt a tear drip from her eye. No more. No less. A single tear, that fled down her face and out the open window. "Bye Hogwarts" Hermione thought forlornly. And her life went on.  
  
Please R and R!!!!!!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
3 Years Later  
  
"Think, think, think, think." The woman muttered angrily, her hands traveling through her already-messed hair once more. Grabbing her pen, she scribbled something down, only to send it, like the others, to the trashcan.  
  
"It's no use." The woman groaned. "I can't do this."  
  
The female beside her turned and tried to encourage her distraught friend.  
  
"Don't give up now," she said soothingly, "you can do it. I mean, you have written others haven't you? And besides, Joey is counting on you."  
  
The woman smiled, rather weakly though, at her friend. If there was anything that could bring her back up to speed, it was her two and a half year old son, Joey. Well either him or her temptation for a nice, fat, chocolate bar.  
  
"Ok, you have persuaded me..............once again." The woman grinned sheepishly at her friend. "I will work on it a little longer. Anyway Abby, do you know when Paul is supposed to be coming by with the extra ink? We really need it if the residents of Blumfield are going to have their weekly newspapers by Friday."  
  
Abby turned to her computer and started typing again.  
  
"Don't know Herm," she answered, her eyes flicking from her friend to the computer screen as she typed. "When Kenny talked to him last Monday, he said that he would guarantee that it would be here by tomorrow. Why?"  
  
Hermione blushed scarlet at Abby's last word.  
  
"Oh I was just wondering that's all." Hermione reached for another leaf of paper.  
  
"You are such a liar." Abby laughed heartily, "You like Paul and I know it. You might as well confess right now!"  
  
The ladies laughed and it didn't take long for all stiffness in the air to be banished by the woman's good cheer.  
  
"You're home."  
  
Hermione shrugged off her jacket .  
  
"Yes I am. How is Joey?"  
  
"Oh he is fine, absolutely fine! He is in here, coloring with his new crayons."  
  
"Oh well I guess that is o- wait a minute." Hermione stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes fixed straight on Joey's babysitter, Mary. "New crayons? Where the hell did he get new crayons?"  
  
Mary smirked before heading into the kitchen.  
  
"You spoil him too much you know?" Hermione lectured as she followed Mary into the kitchen. He can't have new things everyday. He needs to learn to love and treasure the things he has."  
  
"Oh give me a break Hermione." Mary snorted. "Crayons won't do him any harm. Besides, he was bored and we had reread all his storybooks at least three times. Don't worry, he loved them. At least, they kept him active until you got home. Think of them as a thing to make your life quieter."  
  
Hermione shot a cold gaze at the babysitter before tuning in on her son.  
  
"Hello silly face!" she cried, dropping into the chair neighboring the one her son sat in. "Did you have fun with your new crayons?"  
  
Joey Ronald Granger turned to his mother, giggling happy as he proudly showed her his work of art; something that was suppose to be a dog and flower. At least, that was Hermione's guess.  
  
"Oh baby," she breathed. "It's beautiful."  
  
Joey giggled again. Jumping off his chair, he grabbed his mommy's legs in a loving hug.  
  
Hermione blinked back tears. To many people, this would just be a regular way of greeting someone. To Hermione, it was a reward for her hard day's work.  
  
"Fuv oou." Joey whispered.  
  
Hermione knew he was trying to say, "I love you", which made her choke on her tears. But Joey was different. As a baby, he hadn't started teething until he was about ten months old. While most children started walking before they were one, Joey had waited till he was one year and four months before he had even taken one step. But the saddest thing about Joey was his vocal communication. As all kids his age were talking in sentences, Joey couldn't talk at all. Yes, he did try to say things, but they came out all messed up, sort of crumbled together. Hermione had heard people stare and whisper at him. In fact, people had come up to her to sympathize Hermione for having a retarded baby. Hermione knew her son was healthy, but it was just hard for him to learn things, especially when he lived with one parent, whose spouse didn't even know a son of his existed.  
  
"Well I think it's time for me to hop right out of here." Mary exclaimed, grabbing her purse on her way to the door. "Tomorrow at eight a.m right?"  
  
Hermione nodded her head.  
  
"Correct." She said. "Thanks Mary. Have a nice night? Joey can you say "Bye bye" to Mary?"  
  
Joey waved.  
  
Mary quickly noticed this, and shot a compassionate look to Hermione before leaving.  
  
"At last!" Hermione rushed to her closet and pulled it open, disappearing into it. Joey laughed happily as his mom reappeared with a stick thing in her hand.  
  
"I thought she would never leave. Now we can do our magic, right silly face?" she asked Joey who clapped his hands in reply.  
  
With a short flick of her wand, Hermione soon had knives cutting up ripe tomatoes, while the stove boiled noodles. Joey helped his mommy (rather clumsily I must add) clean up the table and put his pictures and crayons in the cupboard under the hallway mirror.  
  
As they ate their spaghetti, Hermione couldn't help but compare Joey to his father, Ron Weasley. She could tell they were alike in many ways. For example: his hair. With a color that strongly resembled tomato paste, Joey's hair was short and ruffly; his bangs just long enough to hang in his eyes, like his dad's. Like Ron's, his fingers were long and slender, his freckles bridged across his nose. In fact, it was only Hermione's sky blue eyes that Joey carried; that and her short, stubby ears.  
  
As she was still thinking about the topic of Ron, Hermione started remembering the times they had together at Hogwarts. It had been in their fourth year they both had realized their feelings for the other one. They had gone out over the summer and when fifth year had started, she had known that it was not a crush, it was love she felt for him and he the same. In fact if it hadn't been for her –  
  
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!"  
  
Hermione awoke out of her daydreams to find a spaghetti-covered, crying Joey.  
  
"Oh silly face, let's get you cleaned up." She soothed softly.  
  
Hermione grabbed Joey's sticky hand and lead him to his bedroom. By this time, Joey was screaming his lungs off. Hermione tried many times to silence him.  
  
"Shhhhhh, silly face you will get Mr. Fillmore over here and we don't want that." Hermione cried frantically, tugging on Joey's sweater. Joey just screamed louder..  
  
"Oh darnit. I forgot, I'm a witch." Hermione silently scolded herself as she raced downstairs for her wand.  
  
"Silencio!" Hermione cried. Joey immediately became mute, as he could no longer make sound, but yet he could scream to his heart's content.

Later that night, Hermione plummeted onto her bed, the refreshing night air gently cascading over her tired body.  
  
Crawling under the covers Hermione reached for a pillow and clasped it tightly. Next door, she could hear a symphony blaring from Mr. Fillmore's house. A women's laughter flowed through the music, added by a man's excited talking and a little girl's screams of pleasure.  
  
"Lucky them." Hermione thought miserably as she flicked the light off.  
  
Surrounded in a pool of darkness, Hermione shed her tears. The tears that she held when she saw her dormitory at Greenoak. The tears she felt when a girl beat her up for being a show off. The tears she forced back as she delivered Joey. The tears she pushed when Joey first got sick. The tears she stopped from flowing when people insulted her son. They all flowed downwards, soaking her pillow and slowly producing dreamless, long sleep.  
  
That stunk. Hopefully the next chapter will be a little bit better!!!!!!


	3. Chapter 3

Ok I edited this a little. Hope you like it and thanks to the person who corrected me on Tim's age!!

Chapter 3

Hermione snuggled closer to the man she nested among her arms. Smiling up at him, she felt love swirl throughout her heart as the red-head smiled back.

"I love you Ron." Hermione whispered, her weary eyelids finally relaxing after a long day's work.

"Hee hee hee!" Ron giggled.

Hermione's head shot up into the air when she realized it hadn't been Ron she was talking to, but Joey.

"Meme, meme!!" Joey laughed with delight at his mother's crazy appearance.

Hermione beamed at him.

"So you want to laugh at me huh?" she asked teasingly.

Joey immediately predicted what was going to happen next, as he said "Ne wiking, ne wiking!" before dashing of the tangled bedspread and into the hallway.

"Here I come, ready or not!" Hermione playfully growled as she ran after the little boy. It wasn't hard to find the boy trying to hide behind a plant.

"Are you ready to surrender little one?" Hermione asked between tickles and Joey's squeals.

Joey nodded gleefully and Hermione stopped to open the shades.

"What a lovely day to visit Diagon Alley." Hermione thought. Her eyes searching for a

speck of clouds.

"Hey Joey," Hermione crouched and grasped her son's hand. "Do you want to go someplace special?"

Joey giggled once more and Hermione took that as a yes.

Hermione and Joey went upstairs to get dressed. Hermione had to help Joey put his sock on his foot instead of his hand, while she clothed herself in jeans and a white blouse.

An hour and fourteen minutes later, Hermione and Joey left, hands bonded together as they crossed the street and hailed a taxi.

"Now Joey," Hermione told her son as they entered a little pub called The Leaky Cauldron. "You need to be careful in here. There are a lot of strange wizards and witches in here."

Hermione and Joey split the crowd as they tried to get to the door on the far end.

"No thanks, no thank you." Hermione thanked the keeper, who clearly didn't get it through his brain that Hermione did not want a Firewhiskey.

Hermione gave a mighty "humph" as she and Joey reached a brick wall.

"Stupid people." Hermione thought madly as she tapped the wall with her wand.

Joey gasped as they entered the hidden alley. Clasping his hand tightly, Hermione lead

Joey through the crowd.

Hermione had expected the day to be quite busy and loud, but her expectations were

wrong. Yes there was a crowd, but it only contained about fifty witches and wizards who

were hoping to get their daily runs to Diagon Alley finished. Hermione had thought that Joey would had been eager to see the sights, and therefore prepared herself to hang onto him tightly, but he seemed instantly shy, hiding behind his mothers legs as he stared at incomers pass.

To Hermione's amazement, she had an enjoyable time in Diagon Alley. They had stopped at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, where Hermione had ordered two, immense banana splits. They had visited Flourish and Blotts. Once there, Hermione bought Joey a children's book where the characters climbed out of the pictures and preformed for him. Each place they dropped in was as exciting and fun as the one before. But none of them were as thrilling to Joey as –

"Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes." Hermione frowned. Ron's older brothers, Fred and George Weasley owned this shop. If they went in here, then –

"Joey wait!" Hermione. Joey didn't seem to hear her, as he continued running in the joke shop's direction.

Hermione produced a disgruntled sigh as she followed in Joey's footsteps.

Pulling his wand out his pocket, the man looked around, glowing at everything in sight. It was good to be home!

"What would ya like t'day?" the bartender asked, slamming a mug down right in his face.

"Um........well let's see here." The man, startled by the bartender's quick actions, read

the peeling menu.

"Yes," he decided after skimming through the few choices the Leaky Cauldron had to offer, "I think I will just have a Butterbeer please."

The bartender looked furious at such a decision after waiting for so long, but he disappeared into the backroom, reappearing with a bottle of golden liquid grasped in his hand.

"Two Sickles." the elderly man snapped, his hand still wrapped securely around the container.

The man sighed as his pulled two coins out of his pocket, exchanging them for the bottle.

"Have a good day." The man watched as the bartender continued to grumble before leaving the pub.

The man watched the world around him through squinted eyes, as the Leaky Cauldron barely contained any light.

"Still as nice as it was before." The man thought cheerfully. Taking a swig of butterbeer, he started on his way.

"Joey?" Hermione glanced through the busy shop, seeking desperately for a sight of red hair.

"Meme!" Hermione raced towards the owner of the voice and found Joey huddled happily between two barrels that held "Sleepatime Mints" and "Dinners in Bottles"

"Don't ever run away from me like that again!" Hermione scolded. Joey's smile dropped into a frown, and tears sprung from behind his blue eyes.

Hermione regretted the harsh tone in her voice immediately.

"Look at these Silly Face." Hermione grabbed a strange object that oddly reminded her of two, long quills on scissors.

Joey played with the thing as Hermione looked around the shop. It was a decent size, carrying five bookshelves that carried bizarre and unusual things.

Hermione explored, picking up bits and pieces to carefully study them before putting them back.

Hermione had been scared out of her wits when a voice behind her spoke, "That is a Jinxed Fortune Cookie. Each cookie carries a different jinx, so you never know what you are going to get."

"I-I-I," Hermione stammered, deeply embarrassed at being caught. "I was....well you see........Oh, hello Fred!"

The red haired man laughed heartily before speaking.

"I'm not Fred, I am George." He roared. "And you are?"

Hermione gulped. For three years, she had hidden from other wizards and witches, besides Joey. Now the truth had to come out.

"Hermione." She squeaked, "Hermione Granger."

George stared at her in amazement.

"Hermione, the one prefect girl that tried to demolish our business in our seventh year?"

Hermione blushed.

"The one and only. And I wasn't trying to demolish your business George, I –"

"Fred!" George hollered, "Get your rear end over here"

Hermione watched as a man, almost identical to George (if it hadn't been for his red goatee), make his way towards them.

"Fred, do you know who this is?"

George gestured at Hermione. Fred frowned.

"No," he said hesitantly, "But I remember that bushy hair from somewhere."

George hit his twin's head.

"Duh! It's Hermione! You know, Ron's friend!"

Hermione paled at the mention of Ron's name, but neither guy noticed.

"Hermione! How ya doin'?" Fred beamed at her as they roughly shook hands.

"Oh ok, I guess."

"Meme!"

Hermione gasped as Fred and George turned to face their nephew.

"Meme" With arms outstretched, Joey raced towards his mother, who gingerly picked him up.

"Who the hell is that!?" George asked.

"He looks familiar." Fred concluded.

"Don't curse in front of my son," Hermione glared at George.

A pair of identical mouths fell open.

"Your son?"

"How old is he?

"Where did he get his red hair?"

"How come he looks so familiar?"

"Who's the daddy-o?"

Hermione didn't answer; her face heavily matching Joey's hair. Fred and George got the clue as they stood back, astounded, surprised, and shocked all at once.

"It isn't"

"It can't be."

"Is it?"

Hermione knew of whom they were talking about. Swallowing the heavy lump in her throat, Hermione nodded.

Fred and George fell silent, staring at the child Hermione held.

"Does, does Ron know?" Fred croaked.

"No." Hermione said so quietly that it could barely count as a whisper.

Fred and George glanced at each other.

They asked more questions, and Hermione answered, not realizing that time was drifting. It wasn't until Joey was asleep that Hermione decided to go home.

"Come back tomorrow," Fred said as he hung "We're Closed" on the window, "Ginny and Dean will be arriving back from their vacation tomorrow, if you want to see them. It might be good for Joey you know. They have a one-year-old boy named Timothy. Just a suggestion, you know?"

Hermione couldn't help but realize that Fred was right. It would be good for Joey to have a playmate. But –

"What about Ron?" Hermione asked.

George appeared from the basement.

"He is in Mongolia," George answered, putting a box of Skiving Snackboxes on a shelf. "He won't be back till sometime next week."

Hermione sighed in relief. She could come tomorrow and Ron still wouldn't know that he had a son.

"Alright, it's a deal." Hermione agreed.

"What's a deal?" Fred asked curiously.

"I will swing by tomorrow if you let me buy some Sleepaway Mints."

Fred and George grinned.

"It's a deal." They spoke together

Whoa!!!! That was LONG!!!! I hope it is as good as the other two chapters, if it isn't just tell me. Hope you enjoyed it!!!!


	4. Chapter 4

Once again, thanks for correcting me. I fixed this up a little bit.

Chapter 4

Hermione stood outside Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, fighting a battle within her head. Should she go in, or shouldn't she? Her common sense told her to flee for it, while her heart thought otherwise.

Hermione was somewhat glad to see Joey spending time with Fred and George. They had asked to exhaust the day with their newly discovered nephew, and after much arguing, Hermione had reluctantly agreed.

Of course their wives, Angelina (George) and Katie (Fred) had helped out in a way. At least Hermione had the comfort of knowing that female existence would be of hand.

So, all Hermione had to do was spend several hours, combing through each and every shop that came to her interest. That was hard to do, considering how Joey came of mind every time she entered a store.

So now Hermione was once again outside, waiting for her son to be returned to her arms.

"This is ridiculous." Hermione thought exasperatingly, "They are his uncles!! They should know how to treat a little boy like Joey."

But Hermione was wrong, very wrong. As she entered the store, shouts of uttermost joy carried through the shop.

"Ok you three, time to split up." Hermione heard Angelina demand. "No George, don't pick him up like that. You will hurt him."

"No I won't." George protested.

"You certainly most will!" Hermione said angrily as she turned the corner. To Hermione's horror, objects were scattered across the floor and George was holding a gurgling Joey by his ankles.

"Hermione!" Fred said brightly. "Nice to see you. Want to buy something today?"

"The only thing that I am going to take from here is my son." Hermione spat through gritted teeth.

"Hermione, don't get upset. Joey is having fun, see?"

Hermione didn't want to admit it, especially around the twins, but Fred was right. She had never seen this side of Joey before, especially when he had been happy, but around George and Fred he was jubilant.

Hermione moaned in fustration.

"Ok, I give up you win!" Hermione cried, knowing that once again, she had lost the war.

===========================

The man stretched as he walked outside. Today was especially brighter and busier than the previous.

"Now where to go?" the man silently wondered as his eyes scrutinized over the street. He hadn't been to Flourish and Blotts yet. In fact, he hadn't even been to his brother's shop, Weasley's Wondering Wheezes yet!

And with a bubble of excitement inflating inside his chest, the man headed off.

==========================

"So that is why you didn't show up for your sixth year!" Ginny fulfilled at the end of Hermione's tale.

"Yes." Hermione watched Timothy and Joey play. She knew she had done the right thing, no doubt about that. But what worried her wasn't Fred and/or George, Ginny, or even Jinxed Fortune Cookies. What was concerning her was –

"But what about Ron?" Ginny asked. "He will need to know sometime."

Hermione looked straight into Ginny's eyes, causing Ginny to blink.

"Listen," she whispered, "I have keep Joey a secret for two and a half years. I only need fourteen and a half more years and then Joey will leave and I will be on my own. No one, above all Ron, will need to know that Joseph Ronald Granger exists.

"Well, I guess." But Ginny looked unconvinced.

Hermione decided to change the subject.

"So tell me about your children." She asked Ginny.

Ginny's mode instantly brightened.

"Well I have three kids. Four," Ginny said pointing at her bulging stomach. "when this one arrives. My eldest is David, my second child is Andrea, and of course you know Timothy."

Hermione nodded.

"David is a year older than Timothy. Andrea is only nine months old. Only Andrea has my red hair. David and Timothy have their dad's."

"What did Dean do when he found out you were pregnant with David?" Hermione leaned forward, eager to hear Ginny's reply.

"Well......." Ginny thought for a moment before continuing. "David was born in November, so I first found out about sometime in January. I was nervous, cause Dean and I had never talked about having children. So I keep it a secret for a while. But soon I started getting sick and Dean noticed this. So I had to tell him."

"What did he say?" Hermione asked fervently.

"His reaction to my pregnancy took me in surprise. He wasn't at all the bit angry that I thought he would be. In fact, he was the opposite. He was thrilled."

"Really?"

Ginny nodded.

"So I had his support through my pregnancy with David. And when I became pregnant with Andrea, I knew I didn't have to keep it secret. I told Dean first thing the evening after I found out."

"That's amazing!" Hermione was stunned. Maybe Ron wouldn't be angry if and/or when he found out. Maybe he would be like Dean and be happy for Hermione.

"Yeah right!" a voice sneered within her head. "Why on earth would Ron be happy when Joey has been a secret for three years?"

"Uh.......Hermione?" Hermione followed Ginny's gaze.

Fred and George laughed while Joey ate something red and small. To Hermione's distress, Joey screamed with glee as he floated up and off the floor until he reached the ceiling. Hermione was certain that if the ceiling was not there, Joey would have continued upwards.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING TO HIM??????!!!!!!!" Hermione shrieked, as she stormed over and tried anxiously to grab Joey's leg.

"Relax Herm," Katie said. "Angelina, the twins, and I have personally tested these. You stop floating at about a hundred feet before floating downwards."

"Yeah, you!" Hermione snapped, "But Joey is lighter and smaller. How far do you think he will go? I'm guessing a thousand feet! How about you?"

Katie looked at Angelina who blushed.

"We........uh......haven't thought about that." Katie said, Angelina agreeing.

"I think we may have to continue our tests on these." Katie called to Fred who was looking extremely put down.

"What are those anyway?" Ginny inquired as she joined Hermione.

"A new candy!" George said happily, "We call it, Hovering Hovie Bubble Gum, gum that makes you float of course!"

Ginny looked amazed while Hermione looked thunderstruck.

"You shouldn't produce those things!" she snarled, "They could cause serious outbreaks."

George and Fred just laughed, making Hermione even madder.

For the remainder of the day, Hermione sat in the corner with Ginny, watching the men entertain the little ones.

"I still don't like it." Hermione muttered to Ginny.

Ginny smiled. "You haven't changed at all Herms. I can tell."

Hermione determined that it was once again time to change the subject. Pulling her chair so it faced Ginny and not the door, Hermione started chatting.

"What ever happened to Harry? I haven't heard or seen him yet."

Ginny looked amused.

"Well, I know you aren't going to believe me, but" Ginny snorted with laughter before going on. "He and Luna are on their honeymoon."

"Really, well that is- WHAT!?" Hermione jumped out of her seat, startling the others.

"Sorry." Hermione felt heat climb up her neck as she sat down quietly.

Ginny chuckled.

"Yes, that was my reaction at first. But I am happy to point out that she has gotten her sniklefluffs and dinkypinks straight. Luna is normal now, thanks to Harry."

"Well thank goodness for that! Where are they honeymooning?"

"Somewhere down in the Caribbean. I –"

Ginny's face turned a pastel white as the door's bell jingled its melody.

Hermione was about to ask, "What's wrong?" but she soon found out that she didn't need to.

"Who's your friend Ginny?" Ron Weasley asked.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you so much for all the reviews!!!! Enjoy!!

Chapter 5

Hermione swallowed, her heart pounding wildly in her throat.

Ginny glanced at Hermione. There were specks of pity floating in her eyes.

"Uh.....she's......uh....just someone.....I..uh" Ginny stammered as she tried to find the right words to say.

Hermione sighed deeply. Ginny was right. Ron had to find out sometime or another. And right now, she knew that she would not get away.

Hermione stood up and turned around, staring at the man she used to love in the face.

"Hi Ron." She whispered.

The shop went a deadly silent. No one spoke or moved from their positions. Even Joey seemed frightened and stayed put.

"You know Tim, I think we should be heading home now." Ginny's voice cracked through the silence.

"Yes, and we have to experiment with something in the back of the shop. Come along!" Angelina quickly said as she pulled George into the backroom, Katie and Fred closely following..

Hermione winced at the sound of a lock sliding into place.

Turning around, Hermione found Ron analyzing her.

"It can't be......" he muttered, "Not you....."

Hermione tried to smile, even though it came out as a grimace.

"Yea it's me." Hermione said gently, her eyes straining to not look at him.

She had thought that he was handsome when they were younger, but now.........now he

was nothing close to handsome, no, it was more like strikingly gorgeous.

His face stood long and narrow somewhat. His brown eyes, were now a ripe, chocolate brown instead of the muddy ones she used to know. His height was no surprise as he was now at least a foot taller than she. His body had become well-developed over the years, his shaggy hair hanging limp over his head.

Hermione felt awkward. Here they were, three years later, both at the very end of their teenage years and the beginning of adulthood. Here she was, standing a foot away from the man who conceived her son and did not know about it.

"So, uh how are you?" Ron seemed uncertain as well.

"That makes two of us." Hermione thought miserably.

"Oh good, really good." Hermione knew she hadn't felt this way since she had been a younger girl, a girl whose shyness held on her first crush on a certain red-haired boy.

"Ron looked at her peculiarly.

"Are you OK?" he asked, "Cause you seem a li-"

"Meme?"

Ron and Hermione looked down at the same time. Their heads rose at the same time. They stared at each other at the same time, a cherry flush tiptoeing into her cheeks while a darker red appeared around his throat.

"Who is THAT?" Ron asked, pointing sharply at the little boy clutching Hermione's legs.

Tears escalated into her eyes. This was it. This was that time that Hermione feared of all things.

"He, h-h-he i-s-s-s m-y-y son." Hermione stuttered, sending all her stress into her grip on Joey's arm.

Ron looked down at Joey yet again. Looking from the child to his mother, Ron only had one question to ask.

"Who is his father?"

Hermione closed her eyes and sighed forlornly. After what seemed like hours to her, Hermione knew she had to answer.

"You," she whispered, feeling tears voyage down her face. "You are his father Ron."

================================

Ron gaped, not knowing if it was anger or astonishment. Perhaps both.

When he was able to find his voice, he sounded more like an old man with strep throat then his regular self.

"What do you mean," he croaked, "My-y-y so-o-on?"

Hermione cupped her face, tears descending downward.

"Oh god!" Ron stared at her in bewilderment. Out of all these years, he couldn't....no it wasn't possible. He couldn't possibly have a child.

But he did indeed. The red hair was proof.

Ron felt his anger rise, flooding through his throat and up into his mouth.

"OUT OF ALL THESE YEARS," he hollered, he face deeply matching his hair by this point in time, "I HAVE HAD A SON AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME!!!!!!?????"

Hermione looked up at him, her face a sickly white.

"I'm so-o-rr-r-y." she whispered, "I di-i-dn-n't mean to."

"OH SURE YOU DIDN'T! AND I DIDN'T MEAN TO BECOME AN AUROR. IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT!!!!"

Hermione stared at him in shock. They had had plenty of arguments while at school, but none could relate to this.

"Ron if-f-f y-y-you j-j-j-just l-let me explain –" but Ron interrupted her.

EXPLAIN WHAT HERMIONE? THERE IS NOTHING TO EXPLAIN!!! ALL THE INFORMATION I NEED IS RIGHT NEXT TO YOU!!!!"

Ron stared wildly at Joey, who had decided to take his mother's footsteps, bawling of fright of this mad man in front of him.

Ron wasn't finished.

"IF YOU HATED ME SO MUCH, YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER COME BACK!!! YOU ARE A LIAR, SNEAK, AND A SELF – CENTERED BITCH HERMIONE GRANGER!!!"

If Hermione's face could go any whiter, it did. But before she could say anything, Ginny appeared at her side.

"It's OK Hermione, don't listen to anything he says." Ginny shot a look at Ron that could kill.

"No," Hermione pushed Ginny away as she wiped her eyes. "He is right. I was wrong to turn up. I should have never come back. Well, now you don't have to worry any long. I am leaving. Goodbye Ginny, Ron."

Carefully avoiding Ron's eyes, Hermione grabbed Joey's hand and lead him back to the Leaky Cauldron, where home was patiently waiting for them on the other side.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Ron buckled into a nearby chair, grinning at the familiarity of the place.

Ginny's home was almost an exact replica as the home they had grown up in. Books were cluttered around the house, children toys mixed up in the mess. Pots and pans were stacked in corners while clothes dangled from irregular places. Ginny was rushing from spot to spot, cooking the soup, making sure Tim didn't eat the Mimbulus Mimbletonia and yelling at her older brother all at once.

"Just because you were mad didn't give you the right to shout at her!!" Ginny snapped angrily. "Timmy, no leave that alone! Did you even consider that she had a story to tell you!"

Ron glowered at his sis. Out of all the people he had expected to side against him, Ginny would had been the last on his list.

"I'm sure she did have a story," he snarled, "But that didn't matter."

"Oh yes it did!" Ginny stirred the broth so hard, that crumbs of meat flew out. "Trust me, if you would had _listened_, we wouldn't be arguing right now."

"And why does listening have to do with anything?"

"It has to do with everything!" Ginny shot Ron a gaze of utter hatred before returning to her supper preparations. "Listen, she told me everything. From why her parents forced her to disappear, to why she returned yesterday."

"Well, I'm sure that was somewhat entertaining." Ron said in a sarcastic tone of voice.

Ginny turned and faced him. Her face no longer held the anger that it did a few minutes ago, but a sort of sadness. Her eyes were packed with unmistakable tears, and her shoulders held a small droop.

"Oh you may think that it is amusing," she said wearily, "But trust me it isn't. If only you knew, Ron, but obviously you don't want to know, so I am just going to leave it at that."

Ginny turned around again as Ron lost himself in a cluster of thoughts.

What did she mean, if only you knew, Ron? Why did she say that her parents forced her to disappear? What on earth was Ginny talking about?

"What did you mean," Ron asked gently, "When you said her parents forced her to disappear?"

Ginny looked at him. This time, all her tears were drifting downwards.

"I think you need to ask her that." Ginny murmured.

============================

Hermione twisted the pillow into a pretzel, her depression getting the best of her as she threw it across the room.

Joey stared at his mommy in puzzlement. He sensed something was wrong, seeing that she had never acted like this before.

"Meme pwa?" Joey whispered.

Hermione pulled her tearstained face off another pillow to glare at Joey.

"No Joey," she said harshly, "I do not want to play. Go play by yourself."

Joey watched his mother in bewilderment as he whimpered, "Meme o pwa?"

"That's right." Hermione snapped angrily, pushing Joey towards her bedroom door. "Now go away!"

Now it was Joey's turn to cry. As silent tears poured from his eyes, Joey shuffled out the door.

Hermione, realizing the hurt she had caused in Joey, tried to call him back.

"Joey, Joey please come back. I didn't mean it!" But Joey didn't appeared.

"Damn!" Hermione threw her second pillow at the wall, which fell close to the first. She shouldn't have taken her anger out on Joey. It wasn't his fault that she was a liar, sneak, and a self-centered bitch. If anything, she was angry with herself and Ron.

"Damn you Ron." She cursed under her breath. Why, when George had specifically promised that he would be back next week, did he have to turn up today?

"GO TO HELL RON!!!!!" she roared, her anger getting the better of her at last as she flung her head into her third and final pillow.

"Well, I don't know. After earlier today, it feels like I have been through hell and back."

Hermione flinched at the male sound, but her heart had other ideas as it started beating uncontrollably. Spinning her face out of her pillow, Hermione scowled at the man standing in her doorway.

"What are you doing here?" she sneered.

Ron merely shrugged.

"Let's just say, Ginny didn't give me very much of a choice. When I asked her she just said to ask you, so here I am."

"Really?" Hermione retorted. "And what was it that she wanted you to ask me about?"

"Where you were these past years."

Hermione stared into Ron's innocent, auburn eyes. She could feel her wall of security, protection that she had placed around her son and herself strip away under his gaze, piece by piece.

"And exactly why do you want to know?" Hermione asked, suspicion rising within her.

"Well lets see," Ron sank his chin into his hands, pretending to think. "You are the mother of my son, you use to be my precious girlfriend, and you were someone I use to care a lot about. Is that enough?"

Hermione felt the bottom of her heart drop open when Ron said, "use to".

"So he apparently doesn't care about me any longer." Hermione thought cynically. "He just wants to know about his son and that's it. Well, two can play this game."

Hermione clasped her hands into fits as she stood up.

"And what if I don't tell you?" she challenged him. Hermione silently noted that he was over six feet, as he towered over her.

Ron laughed.

"Well if you don't want to tell me, fine." He chuckled, making Hermione's fury rise. "But I think we should start over and be friends, at least if you want to."

Ron held out his hand. Hermione stared at it, as if it carried some kind of unknown virus. Finally, but with extreme unwilling, she shook his hand.

Hermione jerked as a type of electricity shot up her arm. Stumbling backwards, Hermione didn't realize that she had tripped over her own, two, clumsy feet until she felt air hurrying past her and a brawny hand on her back.

"Are you OK?" Ron watched Hermione carefully, apparently searching her for signs of an injury.

Hermione shrugged him off, her back burning where he had placed his hand only moments before.

"Yes, I'm fine." Hermione struggled to not look into Ron's face. It was bad enough that he was here, but now he was causing strangle things to happen inside her and she didn't like it. She didn't like it at all.

"Well you should probably be going home."

Ron observed her as if she had said she was crazy.

"I don't think so." He said indignantly. "I am not taking one foot away from you and Joey until I think we fill ourselves with some of Florean Fortescue's famous ice cream!"

"Excuse me, you are not Joey's legal guardian here!" Hermione snapped, "You do not get to choose what Joey gets to do!"

"Yea but I am his father." Ron argued. "So, how about it?"

"But it's past his bedtime!" Hermione protested, glancing at a clock.

"Only this once."

Hermione was about to argue, but a shriek of glee outside the room settled the matter.

"Well, I guess that is determined." Ron said contentedly as he walked out of the room.

Hermione groaned.

"Why me?!" she asked the wall. Getting no response, Hermione groaned once more and left the room.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Sorry this too so long!! I got a major case of writers block. So, enjoy!

Chapter 7

Hermione rolled around in her cocoon of sheets, hastily trying to hide from the roasting glare of the daybreak sun. Exposing her eyes to the vivid daylight, Hermione sank her head into the pillow, reflecting to the preceding night.

It was as if someone had taken a picture and stamped it in Hermione's mind. Ron and Joey were meant to be together, it was as plain as the stars in the night sky. She had watched the two, first with the regular unease that she typically had when she worried about Joey. But it didn't last long. As she had watched the duo eat their ice cream, (or should she say play as they did more of that then eat) her unease melted away and was substituted with profound amusement.

Hermione exhaled gently as she rotated onto her side. The truth made her heart twist with grief. Ron made a great father for her son; last night was evidence. If only she hadn't left Hogwarts, where would she and Ron be? The first thought that swam to the surface was married, but Hermione pushed it away. She recalled Ron in their fifth year telling them that he didn't like the idea of matrimony and now she had to agree. Her mother and father were an ideal example. Her mother had always obeyed her father's orders and didn't dare argue with him. Mr. Granger had had the anger of a famished lion, and Mrs. Granger was the deer, quiet and respectful.

As she thought of her mother, she realized that she ought to visit her soon. Hermione edged out of her bed and made her direction towards the mirror. She would start brushing that mob of bushy hair, but not know. Today was her day with Joey before leaving for a week's worth of employment. And besides, Joey liked it when her hair looked like something a cyclone went through.

Speaking of Joey..................

Hermione rushed out of her bedroom. Where the hell was Joey? Every morning he would greet her in bed, so where was her special welcome today?

"Joey?" Hermione crossed into Joey's room. He was nowhere.

Hermione's fretfulness increased as she traveled downstairs, a colossal lump growing in her throat.

"Joey???" she yelled. Hermione searched the kitchen with her eyes. No Joey. She searched the hall. No Joey. Where was Joey?

Hermione was just about to look out in the garden when something or someone sounded off a vast, "CRASH!" followed by a small youngster's giggling, and a man's booming laughter.

Hermione halted. What was a man doing in her house? Unless..........

"Ronald Weasley."

Ron's head snapped up. Turning around to face the mother, Ron sensed his throat turning sandpaper dry.

"Uh...It's....uh.........nice to see you ....um Hermione." Ron stared at her in a mixture of incredulity and astonishment.

Hermione took his answer to great consideration as she pursued Ron's gaze.

"Oh." Hermione felt her face blaze with embarrassment. Had she known that Ron was going to be here, she would had dressed in something a little more suitable than a pair of boxer shorts and over-sized T-shirt.

Hermione rushed to the couch and sat down, her eyes still glowing with irritation.

"What are you doing here?" she asked coolly.

Ron stood up. His ears wore a nice shade of pink, which, as Hermione remembered, meant that he was highly embarrassed as well.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, his stare fixed on Joey who seemed delighted with a new kid snitch that only flew about 10 feet into the air. "But I saw this in a shop, and I thought he might like it."

"You can' keep buying him things." cried Hermione, "He needs to learn to be chaste and kind."

"What do you mean," Ron turned to Hermione. "I have had a good look around this house while you were sleeping. Barely any toys. He has got to get a life sometime."

Hermione stood up, anger pushing throughout her.

"He. Does. Have. A. Life." Hermione shrieked. "Who was there when he was born? Who had to pay child support? Who was there to be at his first birthday? Who gave him to life? Me! Do I see you anywhere in this picture? No! So don't talk about his life, Mister Weasley, since you weren't around for over half of it!"

Ron gritted his teeth. His perfectly smooth face was creased into wrinkles.

"If you want to be the only parent in his life," Ron retorted, his ears were hard to see in his hair by now. "Then guess what sister, you just got your wish!!"

Joey looked between the two. What was going on? Why were this funny man and his mama fighting? Then, like all little kids do when tension is in the air, Joey began to cry.

Both adults looked down. Clutching Joey in her arms, Hermione picked Joey up.

"Now see what you did?" she shot Ron a heated gaze. "You made him cry."

"I did not. We both did."

Hermione ignored Joey's father. Taking the little boy into the kitchen, she set him into his highchair and began to boil water for the porridge.

"Listen, Hermione." Ron emerged in the doorway, his hands carefully tucked into the pant pockets, his hair rumbled, and his ears lighter, but still an insipid pink. "I am willing to pay child support from now on, if you just give me a chance."

Hermione looked up at him.

"I can't do that." She replied, her eyes now fixed on her stirring hands. "I think it is time for you to go."

Ron glowered at Hermione. Spinning on his heel, Ron stormed from the house, the door echoing through the house.

===============================

"What the hell were you thinking?"

September 7, 2003

Abby spun out of her chair and moved to the file cabinet.

"I mean really," she asked, "He even offered to pay child support. If it wasn't for that thick head of yours, you might have accepted his offer. It is rare to see men agree to pay child support you know. So why didn't you take it?"

London Zoo

Numerous animals flee zoo

"WELL?!"

Hermione slammed her pencil into the desk.

"Because," she thought for an answer. She was discouraged when she couldn't think of one. "Just because."

"Just because?" Abby looked as if she had seen a Martian. "Just because? What kind of mother really are you? Don't answer that. Why? Because you aren't a very good one, that's all I can say."

Abby caved into her cave and started typing frantically.

Hermione blinked back tears. What if Abby was right? What if she wasn't a good mother? Hermione stared out the window. Ron was out there somewhere; probably working at the Ministry of Magic.

================================

If Hermione had been thinking that only an hour prior, then she would have been correct.

"Would you like me to talk to her?" Ginny had asked.

"She's probably worried that you will hurt Joey or something." Fred said. "She'll get better about it."

Ron shrugged off everyone's responses. Nothing would help. Well maybe an apology from Hermione, but that was about it.

Ron slugged his way into the Leaky Cauldron, ordering three firewhiskeys and a double-decker sandwich.

What was up with that lady? Ron slammed his bottle of firewhiskey down. Didn't she know anything about parenthood? How do she think he felt about the news of his son?

Ron took a swig. The burning taste didn't compare to what he felt right now. Hermione may have changed in many ways, but her tenacity was still the same as it had been only a few years back.

Ron took another swallow of the nasty stuff. His muscles twitched to throw the bottle across the room, but he had only recently managed to keep control over his temper and he planned to keep it that way.

"Hey there honey."

Ron practically suffocated on his alcohol as the voice scared the daylight out of him.

"Oh my gosh." The female exclaimed. "I am like....so sorry. Are you Ok?"

"Yeah," Ron rubbed his throat, the pain still lingering in his esophagus. "Don't worry about it. I'm Ok."

"Oh goodie!!! I am like.......so glad!" The female bounced in her seat, her chest bobbing up and down with her.

Ron struggled not to watch her boobs jingle in ecstasy, but it was very hard to accomplish.

"So what's ya name?" she harmoniously asked.

"Ronald, but you can call me Ron. Everyone else does."

"Oh my gosh!" she clutched his arm blissfully. "That is like....the best name ever!"

"Really?!" Ron muttered droopily, but the blond apparently didn't hear him.

"My name is like.....so dull. It's Melody." She giggled, not bothering to remove her arm from around Ron's.

"That's a nice name." Ron said. Melody giggled at a higher note, and Ron could have sworn his eardrums had burst from the noise.

"Oh my gosh!" Melody laughed, the sound flowing smooth and silkily. "That is like......the best thing anyone has ever said to me before."

Ron could have snorted with doubt. A girl like her, and a stunning one at that, would receive tons of compliments, some even better than ones like "that's a nice name" and such. Ron looked into his bottle and his stomach sunk when he found not even a drop left.

Oh my gosh. Like....you don't have anymore firewhiskey don't you?"

If Ron heard one more "Oh my gosh" and/or "like" tonight, he would like.......go crazy.

"Bartender!" Melody sang. The bartender shuffled over.

"We need another firewhiskey. Actually," Melody smiled at Ron. "Make that two."

===================================

Like I said, I am so sorry I haven't been able to update this story sooner. I really couldn't think of anything to write for this chapter, but don't worry. I think I have some ideas for future chapters. So I hope you enjoyed this!!!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Hermione shuffled up the drive, the stars peeping down at her as she entered the threshold. She felt that she owed Ron an apology after what had occurred earlier. He had been right, and she believed that she needed to make it up to him somehow.

Hermione tapped on the door. She was surprised that no one responded, as there were lights shining on the second floor. She resolved to knock again but still did not receive a reaction.

"This is the place where Ginny told me he lives." Hermione rechecked the address. 41 Billings Road. This certainly was the place.

Hermione crossed the porch and slammed hard on the door.

"Ron," she shouted. "Is your lazy butt home??"

No answer.

Aggravated, Hermione decided to return home. If Ron were home, he would have answered by this moment in time. Striding towards the sidewalk, Hermione made her mind up to come tomorrow.

"Arrrrrrrrr!!!"

Hermione halted while walking, which ended up in falling to the ground.

"Ron's in a snag!" Hermione thought as she brushed the loam off her khakis. "That's why he didn't answer!"

Hermione's brain and heart told her to ignore the holler and continue home. But instincts told her otherwise.

Hermione sprinted up the yard, tripping over several things including rocks, gnomes, and her own two feet. Hermione felt the handle. The door was open. Thrusting her way in, Hermione speed up the stairs, across the hallway, to the door, into the room, and almost puking at the sight.

Melody screamed as she clung a blanket to her body. Ron stared at Hermione in complete astonishment.

"Hermione I –" Ron stammered. He clearly was only expecting one guest tonight: the girl he had been......well doing stuff with.

Hermione could only stare at Ron with the deepest loathing.

"You are the most appalling, foul father I have ever met." Hermione seethed. Spinning on her heel, Hermione slammed the door into place and rushed out of the house, not bothering to hear Melody ask, "Father? Like what did she mean, father?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ron felt disgusted. Not only with Melody but himself. What had he been thinking, going off to a bar, getting drunk, meeting a sexy and striking girl, then returning home for some perspiring, hardcore sex? There was competition between the two women on which were more livid, Hermione or Melody. Melody's reaction had almost been the same as Hermione's when she found out about Joesph Ronald Granger.

And who wouldn't be mad? He knew that he would definitely be infuriated if he ever found Hermione doing it with another man. Not that he cared about Hermione, he didn't. Did he?

Ron had gone to Hermione's cottage the next morning to try to represent himself, but the house had been locked down. Hermione and Joey were nowhere to be spotted.

Now even further irritated than he already was, Ron headed to his brothers' shop.

"Nope, never saw her once." Fred said.

"Try Ginny's, she will probably know." George recommended.

Ron expressed his thanks and left the shop. Heart pounding three times faster, Ron

Apparated to Ginny's home.

"What do you want?" Ron recorded in his head that Ginny had a bit of a snap in the word "What".

"Um.....is Hermione there?" Ron asked.

Ginny glowered at him, but she said zilch. Moving to the side, Ginny examined Ron as he entered the house.

"You really are the most appalling, foul father on Earth, aren't you Ron?" Ginny sneered as she trailed behind him.

Ron halted and stared at Ginny in incredulity.

"Wait a minute." He cried. "Isn't that what Hermione said?"

Ginny glared at him.

"Took you forever to figure that out!" Ginny snarled as she entered the kitchen. "And I thought you could sink no further."

"And what is that suppose to mean?" Ron snapped.

Ginny strolled over to Ron. Looking him straight in the eye, she whispered, "Maybe it means that you are not ready for the task of paternity. Maybe it means that you need to work a little harder if you really want to be the father of Joey!!"

Ron sat into the nearest chair, his strength cascading away.

"Mind to tell me exactly what you are talking about?" Ron asked gently.

Ginny slammed her fist into the counter, resulting in a bath of pain.

"I am talking about Joey and Hermione, brainless!"

Ron felt a knot mount in his throat.

"What about Joey and Hermione?" Ron asked tensely.

Ginny massaged her smarting hand.

"You think life is all drinking beer, getting drunk, sleeping with chicks. Well this is the REAL world Mr. Playboy. And in the REAL world, people grow up, get married, have a family, retire, all that stuff."

Ron stood up. Every muscle in his body was rigid, anger burned in his eyes.

"Like I don't know that!?" Ron snarled.

Ginny shrugged.

"You are right." She said.

"Justify that again?"

"Ginny leaned into the counter, her azure eyes watching Ron meticulously.

"I said you are right." She whispered. "You don't know. You don't know how it feels to experience a pregnancy all by yourself. You don't know how it feels to bring up a child for two and a half years. You don't know anything about being a parent. You. Just. Don't. Know."

The room tumbled into immobility, with the background sounds of children twittering in another room.

"Why do you think she came to your house last night Ron?" Ginny murmured, a rim of tears hidden between the words.

"Wait a minute." Ron exclaimed. "How do you-"

"Just answer the question dingbat."

Ron admitted that he didn't know. Why had Hermione come to his house last night?

Ginny heaved a sigh. Grabbing a cup of what Ron supposed was tea, she sat into a chair, her eyes never leaving the cup's brim.

"Do you know why?" Ron asked.

Ginny looked at him wretchedly.

"Yes." She said. "I know why she came. I know why she wanted to apologize. I know why she was going to ask you to watch over Joey. I know why Ron, but you don't."

Ron started to say something, but Ginny continued, interrupting whatever Ron had to say.

"That is why you need to learn Ron. You need to realize that life is about growing up."

Was that a pitiful chapter? I hope not. I know that was a really short chapter and I will try to make them longer from now on. Oh well, hope you enjoyed!!!!


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